


Appat de Velours

by jd4941



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 23:08:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jd4941/pseuds/jd4941
Summary: After the breaking of the curse, Regina is left once again with nothing but her own pain to cling to.  But this time around she learns that she actually does have people that she can call loved ones.





	1. In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> ***I do not own OUaT nor any of their characters.***

**IN THE BEGINNING**

 “This is going to hurt.”

Maleficent gritted her teeth.  Despite Cruella’s sociopathic tendencies and her love of pain, Mal knew that she meant well.  Ursula had been a true friend to Mal.  And for whatever reason she and the sociopath Cruella were together.  So she had accepted her as part of her new extended family. 

“I know that!” Mal panted in between breaths.  She glared up at Cruella where she sat straddled behind Mal helping to hold her up all while wishing that she could smack the grin right off of her face.  But this pregnancy had taken almost everything out of her.  She wasn’t even sure that she would be able to get through this.  And yet she held on.  Because soon she knew she’d have her daughter in her arms. 

She wanted to hate Regina for this position she’d put her in.  It had never occurred to her that she would create life with another woman.  A human one at that.  And yet they had. And for that alone she would forever be indebted to a woman whom she’d loved so completely that the fates smiled down upon them and gave them the gift of life. 

And yet her happiness would be taken from her.  Everyday the young beautiful sweetness that had been what she associated with Regina from the beginning faded away more and more as the days passed.  The two had limited amounts of time together as it was with Leopold being her lover’s husband.

Regina grew more and more distant from the injustices she and her body suffered at his cruel hands.  He had taken to occasionally locking her up to ‘punish’ her for such outrageous offenses as being seen speaking to another person.  Male or female didn’t matter to him.  If she spoke to a female then she was suspected of spreading rumors and gossip about them throughout the kingdom.  And if she spoke to a male then obviously she was having an illicit affair with them. 

Day by day the beautiful girl that had first bashfully made her way into Mal’s life began to fade away.  Only to be replaced with a woman hellbent on revenge for the cruelties she’d suffered throughout her life.  She had eventually pushed even Mal away in her pursuit of what she felt was justice.  Now her only focus was on casting this Dark Curse. 

Mal understood.  And didn’t begrudge her anger.  She only wished for her daughter’s sake that she could’ve been raised by two loving parents. 

When they had met Mal was the one who was broken.  Her own personal grudge match with Briar Rose had taken a toll on the dragon.  And that was saying something since she had been around to see with her own two eyes the dawn of man. 

Regina had pushed and prodded until she’d forced her to stop the pity party that she had allowed herself to wallow in.  And eventually her persistence had paid off.  Mal had regained her spark.  And as her inner fire grew so did the love that she held for her human. 

That spark had now grown into their beautiful daughter.  Who right now felt as if she were ripping Mal apart from the inside out.

“Now push!” Ursula cried out as she began to see the baby’s head crown. 

Tears and sweat were mixing down Maleficent’s face, neck and body.  As an immortal being, time was of no consequence to her.  It never had been.  She had seen the very first man come into being.  And she would be there long after the last one walked the face of this earth.  But this pregnancy and now this labor had taken a great toll on the all powerful being.

Mal was a dragon.  And a fighter.  She had seen many a battle.  And she’d had her fair share of scars.  But this – this was the proof that she and Regina had a love that transcended time.  For their child, she could endure anything.

She put all of her remaining stores of energy into a cry that came from deep within her soul.  To those hearing it, they’d say it didn’t even sound human.  Mal gave her final push before collapsing back onto Cruella’s chest. 

She threw her head back panting and crying tears of joy as she heard her daughter’s cry rip through the air.  She sounded just like her Mother. 

Ursula made sure the baby’s mouth and nose were clear.  Then she began to towel her off with some of the cloths that they had grabbed as they’d prepared for her coming.  She wrapped her in a few blankets as the child continued to cry and scream at her abrupt entrance in this cold new world she'd found herself in.  She scratched her chin as the child began to quiet before walking her over to her Mum.  “Here you go Mama,” she gently placed the baby upon her chest being careful to make sure that Cruella had a tight hold on both of them before moving to take care of the afterbirth. 

Mal’s tears and sweat continued to pour from her as she took in the blurry picture of her baby, “Hi there my little dragling,” she managed to weakly lift a hand and stroke the baby’s fingers. 

She was still not strong enough to hold her.  But dragon’s senses are stronger than humans many times over.  She had already memorized her scent.  And as her baby flailed her limbs around she’d caught a peek of those enormous chocolate eyes that had melted away all of the coldness she’d been left inside after her bitter defeat.

“Have you thought of a name yet?” Ursula asked as she began to dispose of the mess that was the result of a new life breaking forth into this world. 

“Lilliana,” Mal whispered as she continued to stare completely mesmerized by her daughter.  “Lilliana Mills.”

Cruella gave a lazy shrug, “It’s as good as any I suppose.”  She scooted her way from behind Maleficent after making sure that she had a good hold on the baby.  After washing herself up in the basin, she then walked over to the window and began to light a pipe. 

Ursula was busy using her tentacles to get Mal’s bed changed as she had more water brought in for a bath.  She smiled as she walked closer to her best friend.  She crossed her arms over her chest, “Are you finally going to tell her Mother about her?” she asked quietly.  She had her eyes glued to the baby in Mal’s arms while she surreptitiously glanced at her through her lashes. 

Mal’s face at first registered her shock.  She tightened her hold on her baby as she gave that decision more thought. 

Regina had never known that she had been pregnant.  Mal herself had barely realized it until her belly and sickness grew to a point where it couldn’t be denied.  Not because she hadn’t wanted her child.  She’d loved her from the moment that she’d realized what was happening.  She was after all the child she had created with a woman she was deeply in love with.

But Regina’s darkness which had at first only been a mere shadow of pain in her lover’s eyes had begun to consume her.  Regina had even threatened Mal’s most prized possession when she’d tried to talk her out of her vengeance seeking. Had Mal not quickly jumped in front of the unicorn that she had procured to gift to their child then she knew Regina would have surely killed it.  And killing a unicorn was as great a sin that ever was.

That’s when Mal knew that the woman she loved had completely crossed over into a dark realm.  And though she would’ve been prepared at any time to walk beside her; this time was different.  This time her daughter had to come first. 

She had heard the rumors that the newly dubbed ‘Evil Queen’ had taken over her love.  And as sweet and humble as Regina had been before the darkness, she had now become just as cold and cruel.

Mal squeezed her eyes shut and began to nod before she opened them again.  She looked down into her daughter’s eyes again, “she deserves to know.” 

“But not now.  Not until I’ve regained my strength,” she looked back at her best friend. 

Ursula nodded and continued to smile.  Once the servants had cleared the room, she lifted mother and child with her tentacles and walked them over to bath.  She gently placed them in the heated water.

If dragons could purr then the look on Maleficent’s face meant that she was now.  Ursula stooped beside the tub and began to help wash them both off.

The baby shivered then settled down as she realized she was back inside a warm wetness that reminded her of what had been her home over the past few months.  She began to smack her lips together as she moved her head around seeking her dinner. 

Mal obliged her daughter and helped guide her nipple into her mouth.  Then she sat back grinning as her baby suckled hungrily. 

She had never thought she’d become a Mother.  Dragons were a rare creature.  Some had even begun to call them myths.  That only made her chuckle to herself.  And a dragon that bred was almost completely unheard of.  And to do so with a human - well there had been very few cases of such a thing in all of history.  But this - she wouldn't trade for the world.

Ursula continued washing them both off.  Then she lifted them again with her tentacles before using some of the others to dry them both off.  She helped Mal dress and then get into the bed while she diapered the new little one.  She laid her next to her Mother who instantly turned onto her side to wrap her arms around her daughter as her eyes began to become heavy. 

She placed a kiss upon her daughter’s forehead, “Soon Lilliana.  But not today,” she murmured sleepily as she felt sleep pull her in.  Soon it was fade to black. 


	2. Alea Iacta Est

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait.  
> In other news, I am getting my writing mojo back. I'm not up to how I used to be. But I am trying to achieve at least one update every other day and so far it's been going pretty well.   
> Check out my other stories if you haven't already.   
> Laterz! ;)

**CHAPTER 2**

“Are you sure that you’re okay with being left alone for a while?” Ursula asked for the tenth time.

Mal frowned.  Ursula’s worry was palpable.  She above everyone else knew the risks.  A baby dragon was priceless in a world of magic. There would be people clamoring from all sides to get to Lilianna.  And she still barely had any magic left. 

Her body was still recovering from the horrible aftereffects of being pregnant.  Pregnancy in dragons was something that was supposed to be shared.  Instead, she’d gone it alone.  Without Regina to help fuel their baby, Lily had taken twice as much out of Mal.  And she was still bearing the consequences of it all.

She was as weak as a kitten even though Lily was now 2 days old.  Her strength had still not returned.  Add breastfeeding an insatiable dragling and she was still almost completely tapped out.  She only had the strength to hold her as she fed.  She would be completely useless if someone did try and defend attack. 

But there were other considerations.  Cruella had a bloodlust that knew no bounds.  Her sociopathic tendencies were manageable but you did have to take it into consideration when dealing with the woman at all.  She personally would’ve preferred not to at all.  But Ursula seemed to love to be around her.  And so she had to make a choice.

She had already seen the way that Cruella’s eyes tended to light on her baby more often.  The only way to deal with her was to allow her to ‘hunt’ for other prey.  That’s why Ursula had suggested the two step out for a while. 

Mal and Ursula shared a frown as Cruella’s eyes stayed trained on her baby while she licked her lips.  Mal’s anxiety increased yet she nodded.  She had placed quite a few wards around her place when she’d begun to lose her strength.  And she could feel that they were still holding strong. So for now, she felt as safe as could be in the circumstances. 

Her place was an opulent castle hidden inside a mountain.  The high elevation made it difficult to be a place to stumble upon.  One would have to really be looking for it to find it.  And they would’ve had to have worked hard to get there at all. With her hyper dragon senses she would be able to hear and smell there long before she saw them.  That would at least buy her some time to help protect them.

“I’ll do one more patrol around.  Then we’ll leave you and the li’l Misses to it,” Ursula used a tentacle to scratch lightly at the thick thatch of dark hair Lily had inherited from her brunette Mother.

Mal smiled her thanks.  Ursula had been a great friend.  She would have never have been able to make it without her.  She watched sadly as the two took their leave.  Even if it was only for a few hours, it was still more time than she was happy about in her current situation.

Lily stretched and yawned in her sleep on the little nest of furs that Mal had collected for her.  Mal was instantly mesmerized as she watched her dragling. 

Every minute that passed, Mal fell more in love with how much their daughter was a miniature version of her other Mother.  She had her thick, dark hair with loose curls, large expressive, doe eyes, and definitely her temperament.  It tickled her to no end to hear her scream at the top of her lungs the indignity of having to wait a few minutes to eat, be held, or anything else she was demanding at the time no matter how fast Mal moved.  She clearly had the Mistress of all Evil wrapped around her pinky. 

For her part, Mal was still so torn over the situation with Regina.  She had wanted to tell Regina right away and share the joys, fears, and worries with her.  But Regina had made it clear that she would allow nothing to stand in the way of her Dark Curse. And not even the love that Mal knew she held in her heart for her, could dissuade her. 

And so Mal gave her what she knew she wanted most.  The freedom to cast her curse without being hampered by anything or anyone.  She’d kept the knowledge of their daughter to herself and shouldered the burden of a pregnancy that almost killed her all alone. 

Because of the magics that had created their daughter and herself her pregnancy had been unpredictable.  There were no precedents that she knew of – and she had been around to see the dawn of man – that would’ve let her know what mating with a human would do to her.  When the sickness had left her too weak to fend for herself, she had called upon her old friend Ursula to help her through it. 

Ursula had been a trusted ally and confidante for many years.  And right now Mal had no choice but to put her life and the life of her baby in her hands. 

She smiled as Lily smacked her lips before falling back into deep slumber.  “Alright my love,” Mal lovingly stroked her hand along her cheek.  “I say we both take a little nap.” 

She again checked around with her magic and felt nothing around her castle that would give her worry.  But she was tired.  So very, very tired.  Before she knew it, her eyes had shut and she had drifted off too.

MOE

Mal awoke with a start.  She had no idea what but she could feel her heart hammering away in her chest.  Then, she looked to her left where Lily’s nest lay.  What she saw practically made her heart stop.  It was empty!

She stumbled upright on shaky legs that had a hard time carrying her.  She searched around and saw nothing out of the ordinary.  She sniffed the air.  She caught a scent! 

She began to follow it, as she pulled herself along on her hands and knees.  She could pick out Lily.  But there was something else.  Two something else’s. 

She made it out the door of her castle.  She looked around.  There – she saw them!  The Charmings.  They were scampering away down the mountain with her baby!

“NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!” she screamed out as her heart began to break.

DQ

Regina sat upon her throne lazily sipping at a celebratory glass of her own homemade apple cider.  The dark purple smoke continued billowing from her balcony and out into the atmosphere as her curse began to take hold. 

She wanted to dance and rejoice.  But her Mother’s lessons forged through years of pain and torment were never forgotten.  She was a Queen.  And a Queen never takes time off.

She had thought that she was done for after being captured by those two nitwits.  And she had accepted her fate gracefully.  Her head had literally been on the chopping block before Idiot number 1 stepped in.

Yet Snow had let her go.  She had thought her exile would be a much harsher punishment.  Regina just smirked as she carried on about how she hoped her act of goodness would repay the debt that Regina seemed to hold her accountable for. 

But the quest for revenge still burned through Regina’s veins.  So she had moved heaven and earth to gather the ingredients for her curse.  And now, her revenge was at hand.

Her lips curled up as she surveyed the magic making its way across the lands.  She entertained herself with thoughts of how her life would go in this new land she was preparing.

Alea iacta est (The die is cast)

A guard burst through the doors.  They were members of her army who had remained loyal to their Queen.  “My Queen!”

Regina frowned at the unwelcome intrusion.  She rose in all her regal glory, “how dare you!  I said I was not to be disturbed.”

The guard stopped short.  His fear had won out over whatever stupidity that led him to believe he could burst in on her without paying consequences for such an intrusion, “But – but – Your Majesty - ,” he stuttered.

Before he could finish his stuttering and sputtering the doors burst open behind him once again.  Regina raised her hand and readied a fire ball in preparation for taking out whoever the insolent party was.  But her hand shook as she hesitated when she took in the entire scene.

Maleficent was clinging to Ursula and Cruella.  They seemed to be all that was holding her upright. 

Regina hadn’t seen her dragon in a very long time.  And she hadn’t seen her look this bad since their first meeting.  Her was an uncombed mess upon her head.  She wore a simple gown that looked more like something suited for bedtime.  She was breathing heavily and appeared thinner and paler than ever before.  She looked like she’d been held captive in the dark somewhere for years. 

She had been broken after her battle with Briar Rose.  But with Regina’s help she had regained her fire.  Now she appeared broken once again.

Once they were near enough to be heard Mal looked up and locked eyes with Regina.  What she saw there nearly knocked her off her feet.  It was a pain that mirrored her own much too much.

“They took her!” she managed to pant out. 

“What?!!  Who took who?!!??” Regina wasn’t sure what was going on.  But it was obviously something that couldn’t be ignored.

Mal took a deep breath.  She used all of her strength to push off of Cruella and Ursula’s shoulders and stand on her own feet.  She locked eyes with Regina once again.  She kept becoming a blur as the tears began to cloud her vision and fall down her face.  “Lilliana,” she said in a broken tear thickened voice.  At Regina’s confusion she clarified, “Our daughter.”

Now it was Regina’s turn to need help to stand.  Her heartbeat sped up and her breathing became labored as she stumbled forward, the fire ball in her hand long forgotten.  As she came closer she raised her eyes to Mal’s.  “What did you just say?!!?”

“Our daughter Regina.  Our Lily,” Mal whispered as she wrapped her arms around her love.  “The Charmings.  They took our daughter!”

As Regina reeled in shock the room began to dim as the dark purple fog of the curse began to engulf them all.  Then it was fade to black.


	3. What say you?!??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***I know it's been a while. But I think I've gotten things back on track again. This story picks up after Cora's *cough* death :S. What happened in the interim will be told through flashbacks later throughout the story. Hope you enjoy! :) ***

**CHAPTER 3**

“What say you My Queen?”

Regina turned her nose up at the absurdity of the title under the circumstances.  She had never wanted to be Queen.  Then or now.

She looked around at all of the faces awaiting the answer to the question that had been put forth upon her.  Her study had become an unofficial ground zero that she had never asked.  Yet still they waited.

After all that she’d been through over the past few weeks she’d holed herself up so that she could lick her wounds in private.  She’d refused to see anyone about anything.  Which had led to this group practically breaking down her door to stage this intervention.

Once the curse had broken, the Charmings immediately took over as if they were still King and Queen in the Enchanted Forest.  They decreed that she was to be bound to her house.  And Emma had taken Henry and forbade her to see him as if it was a right she was entitled to. 

She’d had the nerves to stand right in Regina’s face – on her own front porch no less – and decree that she would only be allowed contact with her child IF and when SHE saw fit to allow it.  Regina had slammed the door in her face to hide her heartbreak. 

She had allowed the farce to play out for the time being.  Henry had shut down and shut her out long before and definitely after the curse.  She’d hoped that it was something they’d be able to move on from. 

Then Cora had come back to town.  And she’d sworn to help her reclaim her son.  But she too had only cared about herself.  As they stood in Gold’s Pawn Shop her Mother had let her true intentions be known.  It wasn’t about helping her get Henry back.  Nor having her family together again.  It was about her obtaining more power. 

Regina had given her back her heart in a last ditch effort to try and save something in her Mother.  She’d hoped that she would be able to become the Mother she’d always wanted her to be.  And for a moment it appeared to have worked. 

Her Mother looked up into her eyes from where she had fallen during their battle with more love and compassion than Regina had ever believed her capable of.  She’d lain there as she told her that she loved her for the first time in a way that warmed Regina’s heart.  She’d lovingly stroked her cheek as she apologized for all she was and had done.  Then she told her she would’ve been enough.

Regina’s tears had begun to well up in her eyes when it became clear that her Mother wasn’t recovering the way she should.  Her Mother began to cough and sputter and as the truth of what was happening began to set in, the tears she couldn’t hold back any longer began to spill down her cheeks.  Her pain threatened to tear her apart as she watched her Mother gasp for her last breaths.

She turned dumbly towards where the Charming’s had stood behind her and saw nothing but an empty space.  She became numb as she gathered her Mother and poofed them to her vault.  By the time she had laid her body out to be dealt with later, she thought her body would explode from all of the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.  But there was still more for her to do.

She’d hurried back to town and was greeted with the news the Charmings had already taken off.  Hurt, angry, confused and betrayed, yet again by the Charming’s she’d made her way back to her vault only to find that her Mother’s body had disappeared. And Regina was left alone.  Again.  So she’d retreated back to her mansion to try and figure out how and where she’d go from here. 

She was minding her own business when her door was practically imploded.  When the Charmings left they’d taken a great deal of the town with them.  The royals were to be expected.  Of course they wanted their lands, titles, and wealth back.  But they’d also taken some of the common townsfolk. 

This had led to instability in the town.  Real estate was becoming a huge problem since people were breaking up and moving out of their previous homes and relationships.  There were still plenty of people who were confused about where and when they were and what was going on.  There was real fear in those who were left behind from the unknown that was yet to come.

As chaos threatened to erupt, those with the wisdom to understand knew that there was only one place to turn for help.  There was no choice but to go back to the woman who had started it all.  The woman who had created their town and kept it running for the past 28 years.  Now here they sat awaiting her agreement to reclaim her place as Mayor and bring the town back to its former glory.

Now she rose from her chair beside the fire.  She walked to the fireplace and stoked it until the flames that had been dying out roared once again.  She didn’t know why.  She guessed it was just for something to do.  Her body and heart had been frozen from the moment she knew Henry was lost to her forever.  A coldness had settled inside of her and she didn’t think it was possible for her to ever be warm again.

She reached for her decanter that held some of her homemade hard apple cider that sat on a shelf beside the fireplace.  She poured herself a glass and sipped it.  She kept her back to the crowd that had gathered uninvited into her home.

Some of them were friends.  Kath – she meant Abi and now her husband Fred - had always stood by her side.  During the good and bad times. And there had been plenty of bad lately. 

Granny and Ruby were surprises.  She had assumed they’d remain loyal to their Snow White.  But they had declined to return with them to the Enchanted Forest. There was nothing for them there besides persecution.  The curse for them had actually been a godsend.  It had changed the way that Ruby was affected by her shapeshifting.  She no longer needed a magical cloak to hide who she was.  The past was behind her and she could move on to embrace a happier future.  That was enough for her Granny.

The rest of the group camped out in her study were made up of soldiers and families who had always been loyal to their Queen.  She suspected the ones she couldn’t remember from her old court were just part of the usual busybody crowd that made up Storybrooke.

After the curse had broken, Snow White had gone on a crusade to recruit everyone back to the Enchanted Forest to pick up where they left off.  Regina had scoffed once she’d heard of it.  She couldn’t believe how stupid the woman was.  She’d actually expected everyone to go back to allowing her to rule over them as opposed to continuing to grow their pensions and retirements.  Not to mention giving up modern conveniences like medical and dental care, cars and homes of their own, air conditioning, wifi, and indoor plumbing, all for the privilege of waiting on her and her family once again. 

Once word got out around town of the people who were refusing to return, they were immediately treated as traders by the lovely Charming couple and their Savior.  This had soured a huge majority of the town on the family. 

But Emma having taken Henry was just unforgivable. And Regina’s heart had echoed with a painful numbness that she knew she would carry with her forever.

“You did it before,” Abi reminded her.  “You can easily rebuild this town again.  And this time make it even better.”

Regina stared down into the amber liquid as she turned it over.  With Henry gone what else did she have?  The fact that they’d come to ask her for her leadership instead of calling for her head was already an improvement over the last few weeks before the Charmings had left.  She knew she should be flattered.  That was - if she could feel anything at all.

She took a deep breath before looking away from her glass as she thought through their question.  The town had suffered after the curse broke.  Commerce and life as everyone knew it had stopped. The town needed a leader.  And the only thing they’d agreed on was that at least under Regina’s reign the town had flourished.

She turned back toward the room.  Everyone was waiting with bated breath.  She looked over at Abi.  The two engaged in a silent conversation before Abi’s face split in two from the wide grin she sported, “She’s in,” she announced happily to the room what she had already seen in Regina’s eyes.

The room released the breath it held collectively and broke out in cheer.  Abigail rose and embraced Regina as close as she could with a belly that seemed to grow almost daily.  She was now 4 months pregnant.  And big enough that everyone was speculating it had to be twins.  Frederick or Freddy as he preferred to be called wrapped his long arms around both women.

“Where do we start?” a voice cried out.  Regina’s eyes turned to the man who had once been one of her fiercest warriors.  Now Marcus seemed more than happy that he was once again being called upon to serve his Queen. 

“Tomorrow I think,” she said cautiously.  “For tonight I need rest.  And for all of you to get the hell out of my home.”

There was laughter to accompany the cheer.  Granny announced she’d be serving free pie at the diner for those who purchased dinner tonight.  People quickly began to take their leave as they followed her and Ruby out the door.

Abi and Fred were the last to leave.  “I’m so glad you’re in.  I really wasn’t sure whether or not this was going to work,” she smiled at her friend as she pulled her into another hug.

Regina returned the hug half-heartedly, “Me neither,” she answered honestly. 

Abi chuckled as she drew back, “well I’m just glad that it did!  There had been talk of fireballs before you opened the door.”

Regina’s face took on a pensive look.  She held out her palm and lit it up.  “I wouldn’t rule that out in the future,” she winked at her.  After another hug and her assurance that she would be fine for the night without babysitters hovering over her, she and Fred followed the rest of the crowd over to Granny’s.

She didn’t know what lie ahead for herself or her heart.  But at least being busy would keep mind off of the pain of losing another child.  She walked back into her quiet home and poured herself a drink. 

She sat staring at the fire before ideas began to filter through her head.  Sometime throughout the night she’d ended up at the large mahogany desk that took up a good deal of the study.  She pulled out some clean sheets of paper and began to draw up her battle plans.

DQ

“I can feel it.  She’s here,” Ursula said as she and Cruella made their way through a maze that had been hidden beneath the town.  The magic sizzling in the air told her that they were close.

They crept their way through the labyrinth until they came upon a clearing.  In the center was a mound of ashes. 

They looked at one another and smiled.  “This is the place.  Now it’s time for Mama to work her magic.”

Cruella sucked her teeth and stepped back.  It was moments like this that made her proud she’d never bothered to fillet the fish to begin with.

CF

“We’re here!” Snow declared as she stood on the mountaintop that over looked the White Kingdom.       

Emma stared down at the ruins completely unimpressed.  She had looked on with horror as Cora had lain dying on the floor of Gold’s Pawn Shop. She’d only snapped back to reality after David and Snow had each grabbed one of her arms and pulled her outside with them.  “We have to get out of here.  Now!” they’d screamed as they made their way back to their place. 

They’d started gathering their things and making phone calls to alert those going with them that the time was now while Emma had looked on with shock.  She still hadn’t completely processed all that had just happened and now this.  She known they’d wanted to go back to the Enchanted Forest but had no idea that they’d been planning things on this large a scale. 

Obviously, they’d planned well in advance for this situation.  Within less than ten minutes, they were ready to go. 

They’d given her just long enough to grab Henry and to tell Neal that they were leaving for the Enchanted Forest.  He hadn’t wanted to go but with Rumple pulling him on one side and Henry pulling him on the other he’d had no choice. 

They made their way to a clearing in the forest with everyone who was going along with them showing up right behind.  Her parents had set off a magic bean that Rumple had helped them acquire and with a flash of light a portal opened.  Her parents had grabbed her hands and they’d taken a leap through time and space and wound up back in the Enchanted Forest. 

At first everyone had been happy that they’d made it back home.  Until taking stock of their surroundings that is.  As they looked around they found that their once thriving homeland was now nothing more than ash and ruin.  Some had started to cry while others had been terrified at what they’d found. 

Snow had stepped up with a hope speech that had at least spurred them on far enough begin to make their way to their old castle.  Now they stood on a mountaintop that overlooked what appeared to be nothing more than more ruins down below. 

Snow squealed happily as she hugged her tightly, “we’re home!”

Emma clutched tightly to Henry’s hand while her throat worked to try and push down the sickness that was rising at the back of her throat.  For the first time in a long time she felt something akin to fear as the hairs on the back of her neck rose.

“Home?” she whispered as she wondered not for the first time what the hell she’d gotten herself into.

MF

A groan and a loud cry of pain echoed through the air.  On the bed in the main bedroom a dark haired woman lay shivering and yet covered in sweat as a pain beyond any she’d ever felt before continued to rack her body.

A redheaded figure came through the door of the farmhouse and dropped the wood she’d collected on the floor.  She hurried over to the bedside where the dark haired woman lay writhing in pain.  She sat next to the brunette careful not to disturb her anymore than necessary, “It’s okay Mother.  I’ve got you,” she said as she ran a wet cloth along her face and neck. 


	4. Home Sweet Hell

**CHAPTER 4**

“… And Grandpa said he’s going to teach me to use a sword,” Henry chattered on happily as they continued to make their way through the dilapidated castle.

Emma had tuned him out long ago.  She had been too busy trying to figure out how they were supposed to turn this hellhole into a home.

She’d gone through all of the rooms on the top floor trying to figure out what would be considered livable.  She’d found 3 rooms so far that were still intact.  Her parents had taken the largest one.  And Rumple and Neal were sharing the second one.  The third she’d left for Henry.  None of them had appealed to her. 

She turned the corner with Henry hot on her heels.  They found a set of stairs that led to the tower.  When she opened the door, all she could do was stand there and gape.

The place was perfectly preserved.  The purple and black décor led to only one conclusion.  This was her room. 

Henry slowly entered the room behind her, “was this my Mom’s room?” his eyes were large as they took in the surroundings.

“I guess,” Emma said as they slowly did a tour around the room.  There was a huge king sized bed with tons of fluffy pillows and silk bedding on one side of the room with a large floor to ceiling fireplace just across from it.  There was a large desk that still held a pen and ink set and some stationary that she instantly recognized as Regina’s.  In the corner stood a changing screen with an old nightgown tossed carelessly across the top of it. 

They found a doorway that led into a bathroom.  The large claw foot tub in the middle looked like it could hold 4 people comfortably.  That sat in front of another floor to ceiling fireplace.  In the corner looked to be a toilet that she prayed functioned as one.  She’d been horrified when her Mother had explained the process of chamber pots to her.  She knew there was no way she was using one of those things.

Back out in the main room, she saw that there was a huge vanity that took up almost an entire wall.  There was a full silver plated vanity set laid across the top with bottles of perfumes in glass bottles.  Henry walked over and started fingering some of the items.

“Don’t touch anything!” Emma said sharply from the corner.  Her cheeks went red as Henry jumped slightly from her tone.  She began to fidget, “I mean – I think it’s best to leave things as they are.”

Henry looked at her strangely but let it go, “I’m hungry.  I’m going to see what Grandma’s made for lunch.”  With that, he left her to her own private thoughts.

Emma had no idea what had gotten into her.  He really hadn’t done anything wrong.  But seeing him touching Regina’s things had just rubbed her the wrong way. 

She shook it off and dropped the bag she’d managed to quickly pack with her onto the bed.  She slowly lowered herself to the bed as a chant of, _‘You can do this!  You can do this!’_ played in her head.

She had no idea what the hell she was doing.  But she knew it had to be done.  Staying in Storybrooke would’ve only culminated in more warfare and she was so tired of fighting.  She was done with being the Savior and wanted to just move on with her life.  And here was as good a place as any.

Here she wasn’t the girl who’d grown up a foster kid that no one ever wanted.  Here she wasn’t the criminal who’d had a baby in prison.  And Henry didn’t have to walk around knowing that he’d been given up by a criminal. 

He wanted her. And she wanted him.  That was all that mattered.  Or it should.  Then why did her chest constrict at the thought of never going to back to the only place she’d ever been prepared to call home?

She looked around the room but there was no joy in her as she quietly told herself, “Welcome to home sweet hell.”

 

MF

“How did you find me?” Cora winced as she pushed the words from her still raw throat.  She was still in a considerable amount of pain but she actually didn’t mind it.  It reminded her that she was alive.  For that she would be eternally grateful.

Zelena shrugged as she filled the spoon with more broth before bringing it to her Mother’s chapped lips, “magic.”

Cora nodded and smiled sadly.  She reached out and placed her hand on top of her daughter’s, “I’m sorry.  For everything.”

Zelena dropped the spoon back into the broth before placing it to the side buying time as she collected her thoughts.  She had dreamed of this ever since her adoptive Mother had died.  This being face to face with her real family.

She had thought she would feel nothing but anger at the woman who’d abandoned her in a field.  And for the longest time she did.  That was – until she’d learned that Snow White had planned on poisoning a woman she’d waited her whole life to meet. 

Then the only thing she’d felt was anger at the woman for her audacity.  And fear that she’d lose out on another family before she’d even gotten a chance to know them.  It had spurred her on to quickly ensure that didn’t happen. 

She’d arrived too late to stop her Mother from being poisoned.  But she’d managed to make it over to Regina’s crypt just in time to give her the serum to counteract it.  

Now, here they sat in a cabin on the outskirts of Storybrooke together.  There was so much they needed to discuss.  So much they needed to talk about.  But the most important thing right now was getting her Mother through this. 

She nodded at her Mother and placed her hand on top of hers, “I know.” 

She helped her Mother lie back down and made sure she was comfortable before making her way over to what had become her spot.  It was a worn yet comfortable chair in the corner of the room.  The two sat lost in their thoughts as the shadows on the walls went from long to short.

**CF**

It had been a long and tiring day.  Her Mother and a few of the other females from Storybrooke had stayed behind and tried to get the castle as organized inside as one could considering it looked like a bomb had been set off inside the place.  Emma was still confused as to how they thought they would make a mass of crumbling rock mysteriously turn into a home.

Emma and Henry had gone with her father and the other men to inspect the lands. They needed to figure out what they did and didn’t have and begin to sort out how to rebuild their kingdom.  Or so she’d been told. 

From Emma’s position, the place looked like a dump that should be condemned.  She had no idea how her parents sunshine and hope speeches was going to pull off bringing this place to the former glory she’d spent the past few weeks hearing about.

“How’s it going Emma?” Neal asked breaking through the fog she’d fallen into. 

She tried to conjure up a smile but gave up pretending.  Though she and Neal weren’t where they used to be – and truth be told she was certain they never would be again – he was right now the closest thing to a friend that she had.  “Do you think we did the right thing?”

“Coming here?” he asked waiting for her nod before continuing.  He stared ahead of him as he tried to answer her honestly without hurting her.  He didn’t want to be here.  And he knew it was a bad idea when Henry and his Father presented it to him.  But the Charmings had ushered them all along insisting the Evil Queen was hot on their tails and it would be now or never. 

“I spent my entire life wanting to get away from this place.  I’ve built myself a good life back home.  I have a good job.  Decent salary and benefits,” he shrugged.  “I’m trying to do the right thing.  I guess right now that’s all we can do.  For us.  And for Henry,” he added reminding her of why they were really there.

“Right,” she nodded.  “For Henry.” Wanting to be as good a parent as Regina had been to him was the one thing that consumed her.  And she couldn’t help but feel that she had already failed him though she’d done the best that she could. 

“Mom! Dad!” Henry cried eagerly as he ran up to them.  “Guess what?  Grandpa’s going to teach me how to hunt.  He said once we find a blacksmith, he’ll even let me have my own sword,” he jumped up and down excitedly before turning and running back to join David.

Neal and Emma exchanged shared looks of horror.  They fell into step beside one another as they began to head back to the dilapidated castle.  Each were lost in their own shared feeling of impending doom.

Once back at the castle, they’d set about collecting enough firewood and water to last them throughout the night and most of the next day.  Her Father had shown her and Henry how to start a fire and some basics on fireplace care and maintenance.  She had never seen Henry smile so bright as he basked in his newfound skills.

After making sure that every room had enough water, firewood, and fires going, they’d each went their separate ways to prepare for dinner.

As Emma washed up as best she could in the wash basin with the limited amount of water she had been prepared to carry up 4 flights of stairs, she had plenty of time to think through her ever changing life. 

She was still a little weirded out by the fact that she had parents.  Let alone ones who were roughly the same age she was.  And Henry.  She could never stop being thrilled that she had her son in her life once again. 

She ignored the voice in her head that tried to substitute Regina’s name everytime she thought the word son.  Henry was hers.  He wanted her.  He chose her and her family and they had beat back the Evil Queen. It seemed to be enough for him.  It should’ve been enough for her.  Then why did she still feel so heavy?

After she was sure she’d scrubbed enough she went back into the bedroom.  She sighed as she stared at the large poofy dress that her Mother had laid out for her.  It was an outrageous dress that screamed how little her Mother knew her.  And even worse – it was pink.

She swallowed down her disgust and put the dress on anyway.  Then she ran Regina’s brush through her hair trying not to notice the scent of the woman everywhere around her.  After slipping on the shoes her Mother had supplied for her, she made her way downstairs.

“Emma!” Emma winced as her Mother screeched her name throughout the room.  She was standing surrounded by King Midas - who’d made sure that everyone understood that he was to be properly addressed now that they’d returned home – her Father, Neal, Henry and Rumpelstiltskin.

“We were just discussing some of the wonderful events we have coming up soon,” Snow gushed as she handed Emma a wine glass filled with a gold colored liquid once she had joined them ignoring the fact that they were dressed up in a decaying building.  Emma took a small sip then sputtered as she choked on the fetid stuff. 

“It’s an acquired taste.  You’ll get used to it,” her Father winked at her.

“I’m hungry.  When’s dinner?” Henry interjected as he pulled at the stiff collar of his top.  His Grandmother had made him dress up in a ridiculous outfit complete with tights.  He was dying of boredom.  And the cold, filth, and smells not to mention all the work he’d done today carrying buckets of water back and forth from the house to the house had left him sore and in a bad temper.

Midas sneered down at him, “children are meant to be seen and not heard.”

Henry quickly quieted as he was not used to being chastised.  Emma was about to step in and say something to Midas but her Mother jumped in first.  “Well, dinner is ready.  King Midas would you be so kind as to help a lady to her place?”

Midas smiled as Snow’s charming demeanor did the trick of momentarily distracting him.  He took her hand as he led her into the large dining hall where the women had managed to put together small bits of food and prepare a meal for everyone. 

David reached for Emma’s hand before whispering in her ear, “the rules here are different.  But you’ll get used to it also.”

Emma frowned hoping that would never be the case.  But looking down into Henry’s hopeful little face had her inhaling a deep breath and pushing down her untamed instincts.  She would’ve loved to put Midas in his place for speaking to her son that way.  She instead settled for glaring daggers into his back.

Emma was sitting at the table idly listening to Henry chatter about his day as they waited for the meal to begin when her spidey senses started to tingle.  She glanced around the room wondering what it was that making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when she got to where Midas sat across from them.  Her uneasiness only grew when Henry noticed his glare and he began to quietly fidget in his chair.  She stiffened at the venom she read radiating off of him as the man didn’t even bother to hide his disdain.

Snow clinked her glass with a spoon to get everyone’s attention as she stood at the head of the long table beside her husband, “I want everyone to know that we are all grateful to be surrounded by loving friends and family back home where we belong.  There has been a lot of sacrifice.  But in the end what matters is that the good guys won.  Evil has been defeated.  And we will rebuild our land back to its former glory.”

“I do not break bread with bastards,” Midas growled from beside his hostess.  An uneasy silence quickly descended upon the group as everyone became embarrassed at his outburst.

Emma looked around confused as to who he was talking about before she realized who it was he was referring to.  Her face reddened as her anger grew.  She stood up pushing back her chair with a loud scrape fully prepared to let him have it.

“Henry,” Snow called out softly interrupting her.  “Why don’t you head into the kitchen where it’s warmer?  You can read through your storybook and do research while you eat your dinner.  That’ll be much more fun than sitting around listening to a bunch of old people talk,” she gushed with a smile so full of sugary sweetness Emma was sure she developed a cavity just from listening to her.

Emma stared at her Mother with her jaw dropped.  She couldn’t believe that she was actually allowing this man to talk to and about her grandson that way.

“I’ll go with him,” Neal offered quickly.  He rose and clapped his hand on Henry’s shoulder, “Come along Henry.  We can have some father/son fun with just the two of us.”

“But – I want to stay,” Henry’s sad voice broke Emma’s heart.

She turned to her Mother with fire in her eyes, “Don’t worry Hen.  I’m going with you.” As a family, the trio rose and began to make their way from the room.

“Emma!” Snow’s voice already sounded her disapproval before she even began talking.  Emma however, was already following Neal and Henry into the kitchen.

“Well that was fun,” Rumple said as he placed his napkin on his lap.  “I can’t wait to see what other good times you have in store for us.” He raised his glass to his Charming hostesses, “Cheers,” he said as he giggled into his honey mead wine.

**MF**

Regina had spent the past couple of days feeling restless.  She’d spent her day working on plans for the town that she could see in her mind’s eye.  She’d stopped only when her muscles began to protest their cramped position from sitting hunched over her desk all day.  Then she’d taken a shower and poured herself a drink hoping that it would relax her.  Now she sat in her study in front of a roaring fire with a bottle of her homemade apple cider beside her.

It seemed to have the opposite effect.  Ever since the impromptu town meeting in her living room she’d felt a nervous energy flooding throughout.  She figured it was her grief over losing her son and had hoped burying herself in work hoping that would help keep her distracted from her inner turmoil.  Yet it seemed nothing would calm her nerves.

Though she was physically exhausted from working all day, now that she had nothing to occupy her attention her mind had decided to go into hyper drive. The emptiness of the house seemed to mock her as she recalled all the times she’d been exhausted from chasing her little prince around all day and wanted nothing more than the peace and quiet that was now slowly pushing her toward insanity.  She hoped a bathful of liquor for her brain would help.  Though she was feeling tipsy, it wasn’t enough to put her out of the misery of the sorry state her life had fallen into.

When the doorbell rang she frowned over at.  For some reason she’d known it was coming.  Could feel it in the air.  She also knew whatever was on the other side of that door would change her life forever.

She slowly rose from her seat in front of the fireplace.  Her heart was racing as she drew nearer to the door but not from fear.  Or rather not a fear of being hurt in anyway.  It was more a fear of the unknown that she knew was yet to come.  Her magic had returned to her and she could defend herself if needed.  But she had already made up her mind not to even bother to try.  She had nothing left to live for and if someone wanted to finish her off she would welcome her end with a smile.  

Whoever was there had given up on the doorbell and had now resorted to knocking on the door so hard that it shook within its frame.  She unlocked the door and took a deep breath.  She squared her shoulders and pulled the door wide ready to stare whoever was there unflinching in the eyes.

What she saw sucked the air right out of her lungs.  Tears immediately welled in her eyes before spilling over.  Her knees became weak and were it not for the strong arms that engulfed her she knew she would’ve fallen right to the floor.

The blonde stepped forward and pulled her beloved into her arms.  She held the trembling brunette close to her as her own tears joined those of her lover.  She took a breath to quell the nerves quivering in her belly.  She held her tight as she pressed kisses tenderly against the hair and temples of the woman she’d spent the past 28 years dreaming about. “Hello my love,” she whispered.


	5. May I?

**CHAPTER 5**

“I’m so sorry.”

Mal inhaled a deep breath.  Regina had spent the past hour doing nothing but crying and apologizing.  Not that she didn’t appreciate it.  It’s just they really had more important things to deal with at the moment.  She looked over to where Regina sat slumped against the sofa. 

When she’d been awakened by Ursula and Cruella, they’d given her a crash course in what had been going on in the time she’d been trapped in her dragon form.  They now existed in a new world.  And her daughter was still lost.

She hadn’t cared nor needed to hear anything else outside of that.  She’d insisted that they take her to Regina.  And they’d instantly obliged.

Being a cold blooded animal, she had spent the past 28 years in more of a brumated state.  She was still weak.  And hungry.  But right now her baby and her lover trumped everything else. 

“We must find her,” she ran her hands down her face. 

Regina nodded woodenly as her voice broke, “don’t you think I know that?”

She had tried everyday since her first day of waking up here to find her daughter.  Without magic, it had been difficult. 

She’d scoured the entire town and hadn’t found one infant that would fit the little she knew to be true about Lily.  She was aware she had her hair and eyes.  According to Mal, she was a little Regina.  But that had been the only information she’d gathered before the curse had swept them all here.

She’d tried questioning Snow.  But she’d gotten nothing out of her.  She remembered nothing of their former life.  At one point, she’d even had to be pulled off of Snow White by the then Sheriff Graham.  She’d been seconds away from choking her to death.  The townsfolk had looked upon the situation with shock and horror.  Of course the curse had reset and the situation had soon been forgotten by everyone.  Everyone except Regina.

When she had ensured that she’d checked throughout this town, she’d extended her search beyond its borders.  But the world they had come to was vast.  There were different rules than the ones from their old.  She’d tried her best but had still come up emptyhanded.

She’d been so defeated.  She’d lost her lover and her daughter.  She was ready to throw the towel in. Then there was Henry.

He’d been a last gasp of life to a dying soul.  He’d delivered her from darkness.  He’d been her everything.  But she wasn’t enough to stem his wrath once he found out that he was adopted.

Now he was gone too.  And she had been alone.  Again.  Until now.

“I’m back,” Maleficent said as she sat up impossibly straighter than her perfect posture already allowed.  She reached over and wiped the tears away from her lover’s eyes.  “I’m back,” she repeated softer this time.  “And WE will do this.  We will bring out daughter back home to us.”

Regina felt something inside her warm as the dragon’s breath blew lightly on the embers inside her heart.  Tears still made their way down each cheek.  But this time she reached up and wiped them away from obscuring the sight of the woman she’d loved and thought had been lost to her forever.  “You’re back,” she nodded. 

And with her reappearance, magic had returned.  Regina could feel hers thrum just beneath the surface of her skin. It mixed with the dragon fire and lit her on fire from the inside out.  What had once been frozen on the insides slowly warmed and came back to life. 

She looked around her study and her eyes landed on the books that had been tucked away at the very top of her bookcase.  She had put them up there after Cora.  She hadn’t wanted to see anything that would remind her of her Mother’s death. 

But she had spent years hunting through her collection of magic books.  Maybe – .  Any hope was better than the nothingness and despair that sat before them. 

She lifted her hand and the books magically swept toward where she and Mal sat on the sofa.  She looked into her lover’s eyes, her determination making hers appear to almost glow. “Let’s get to work.”

-:-

MF

“I know this is difficult for you to hear dear.  After everything else you’ve done.  You’ve shown a love that – ,” Cora’s voice broke as she stared at the angry redhead in front of her.  She cleared her still aching throat loudly and swallowed before continuing, “There is no way to ever repay what you have given to me.  And after all that I have done to you,” again her voice trailed off as she tried desperately to regain her composure. 

“You’ve always loved her more!” Zelena spat as her hands wrung together.  She sat staring ahead with glassy eyes beside the Mother she’d longed to have her entire life.  And she still wanted the brat instead. 

“Love?” Cora smiled wistfully.  “I promise you that she would completely disagree with you.”  She shook her head as she continued.  The guilt, regret, and even self-hatred that lived inside her she knew was her price to pay for all she’d done before.  “I – I didn’t really know how to love very well.  And I took it out on you.  But also on her.”

She turned to her eldest daughter.  With her heart back in its rightful place, emotions that had long withered and died inside of her now returned.  “I was less of a Mother to her than I was to you.  At least you had a chance with someone else. The things I did - ,” her voice cracked again and this time tears began to sting the back of her eyes.  She blinked rapidly but couldn’t hold them back anymore.  “Damn these emotions,” she dabbed impatiently at her eyes hating herself for this weakness.  She spent almost every waking moment crying her eyes out.  She needed the pain inside her to go away.  The urge to rip her heart out herself this time forced her to hands to tighten into fists. 

Since her heart had been returned to her so had the nightmares that she’d caused others.  The ache inside her was almost constant.  And she knew she deserved that and worse. 

But she had to try and make things right. Not for herself.  But because she owed it to her children.  She was the monster.  And they deserved their happiness.

“I promise nothing,” Zelena answered as she finally turned toward her Mother.  “But I will send word.”

Cora leaned over and stroked her daughter’s cheek.  She still couldn’t believe that this magnificent creature was hers.  “I do you know.”

Zelena raised a single brow in question.

“Love you,’ she breathed.  The redhead’s chin trembled and her eyes became waterlogged but she refused to let them flow.  “And not just for this.  For being you.  And that you’re better than me.  Had you lived with me - ,” she shook her head horrified at the memories of all she’d forced her youngest child to endure. 

“If she were here – she’d say you got the better end of the deal.  And she’d be right,” Cora’s cheeks reddened as she admitted what she knew to be true as the self-hatred rose up to claim her.

And still – the beautiful creature before her showed her true heart once again. She leaned over and took her Mother’s hand and clasped it tightly in hers, “I’m here because of you.”  She locked eyes with her Mother and refused to allow her to look away.  “And I do too.”

Cora buried her head and allowed the emotion that had escaped her for decades now flow through her.  She fell into her daughter’s arms.  And she cried because she could.

-:-

CF

Emma was beyond pissed.  She was absolutely fuming.  She paced her room.  Or rather _her_ room as she gathered all of her willpower to help her calm down before going and facing her parents.

Not only had they allowed their own grandson to be publicly humiliated.  But they’d sided with that – that thing!

Neal had tried his best to distract Henry with bad jokes and stories of his life adventures but he was having none of it.  The dinner that he’d been so proud to attend had ruined his appetite.  After a few minutes in the kitchen, he’d asked to please be excused.

Emma assured him they’d come and tuck him in soon.  It usually excited him to spend time with both his parents.  This time he just gave her a sad smile and nodded before slumping away.

“I can’t believe they did that,” she gritted out through her teeth.  “I mean – what the hell were they thinking?”

Neal looked at her perplexed.  She had been 17 when he’d met her.  But she had been to school before.  And seen old movies.  “Emma what were you expecting here?”

She stared at him blankly completely stupefied.  “What do you mean?”

“Your parents must’ve explained to you that life here is completely different.  There are completely different rules here.  You’re going to have to get used to it fast.  And teach him to get used to them fast.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” she cried out.  “Henry’s their own grandson and they just treated him as if he was - ,” her voice broke off before she used the word pariah.  For some reason at that moment, Regina was what had popped into her head.  She shook it to clear those muddled thoughts away.

Neal stared at her as her face took on a thoughtful faraway expression.  His entire world had been rocked in just a few days. He’d found out he had a son, the father he never expected to see again had reappeared in his life, the woman he’d left to fulfill her own destiny had come back into his life, then he’d been sucked down into a portal that had brought him back to the previous hell he’d run away from.  He had his own problems. 

But he was a Father now.  And making sure that Henry was okay was his first priority, “we should go and check on Henry.”

Neal’s voice drew Emma away from her inner demons.  She nodded her head and followed him up the backstairs to the second floor.

They went together to tuck Henry into bed.  But he was already asleep when they got there.  His shoulder’s shook as he took ragged breaths in then let them out in a shuddery exhale.  It broke Emma’s heart to see that even in his sleep he was crying.  Not for the first time, she found herself questioning what she’d done by bringing them to this world.

Neal gently eased the storybook that he held clutched to his chest from his arms and covered him before they both backed out of the room.

They both stood awkwardly in the hallway.  “I should - ,” they said in unison and pointed toward their respective rooms at exact same time. 

Emma gave him a small smile as she turned toward her room, “well goodnight.”

“You too,” Neal said as he made his way towards his.

Now Emma paced back and forth still fuming over the day’s events.  How dare they!  Henry didn’t deserve that!  She made her way to the door having made up her mind to confront her parents.

When she went back downstairs, the dining rooms had been emptied.  She searched through the small part of the castle that was still standing and found no one.  That is until she came out into the foyer.  Gold stood there with one of his trademark smirks on his face.  He leaned lightly against his cane as if he’d been expecting her at just this minute.  She hated when he did that.

“Missing something?” he asked as his eyebrows rose to his hairline.  “Or someone?” he inquired with one of his maniacal giggles.

Her head reared back as she tried to put on a bored, blank expression. “I was just looking for my parents,” she lied covering up what or rather who she had actually been thinking about in that moment.  Right as she’d turned the corner the question of how in the hell Regina had put up with all of this had just entered her head.  Now Gold was staring at her as if he had heard what she’d been thinking.

The look her gave her said that it was clear he was aware she was lying.  But decided to let it go for the moment.  “They’ve retired for the night.  Everyone’s gone to bed already.” He turned toward the stairs and slowly began to make his way up them. 

When he got near the top stair, he called down below him, “when you’re ready to ask about _her_. Let me know,” he said before disappearing from her sight.

“I hate when he does that,” she muttered.

CF

The next morning she rose and washed quickly.  She wanted to get to her parents and have it out with them before Henry woke.  She wanted to ensure that he would face no more unpleasantness in their time there.

When she went looking for them, she’d been directed toward their old throne room by a sour faced woman.  She’d come with them from Storybrooke.  Emma thought she recalled her being a waitress from the Rabbit Hole.  Now she wore old clothes and somehow looked older than she remembered her to be just yesterday.

When she entered the room the woman had pointed to she gasped aloud.  The room was in rubble and overrun just as the rest of the castle had been.  But the fact that her parents were sitting on their thrones despite the rats and other wreckage shocked her. 

She stepped up as their heads swung her way.  They’d appeared deep in conversation and frowned as she came closer.

She opened her mouth to address the situation from last night.  Instead she got another shock of her life.

‘Emma,” David and Snow sat up straight as she made her way up the stairs to their chairs.  “We need to talk to you.”

“I was thinking just the same thing.”

Snow nodded her head before fixing her with a huge grin.  She flicked her wrist out, “we’ll get to your behavior at dinner last night later.  But first,” she clapped her hands and leaned forward on her throne.  She was practically bouncing from excitement, “We’ve received a proposal for your hand in marriage.”

Emma stared at them as if they’d lost their minds.  When she realized they were serious she could do nothing but stare at them in horror.  “What?!!!?”


End file.
